


Augment

by crazyjane



Series: SpookyVIXX October 2020 [3]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Augmented Reality, Gaming, M/M, SpookyVIXX October, Upgrade - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26804953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazyjane/pseuds/crazyjane
Summary: THIS UPGRADE IS IRREVERSIBLEARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO PROCEED?Y/N
Relationships: Han Sanghyuk | Hyuk/Lee Hongbin
Series: SpookyVIXX October 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1955065
Comments: 10
Kudos: 10





	Augment

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: neon
> 
> This one is definitely gonna get turned into something longer.

Hongbin scowled at the large, gaudily-wrapped box in Sanghyuk’s arms. ‘I thought we agreed no birthday presents this year.’

‘No, _you_ agreed to that. And _I_ agreed to ignore you,’ said Sanghyuk without a trace of remorse. He thrust the box into Hongbin’s unwilling hands. ‘There. Happy birthday, you bitter melon. You’re welcome.’

At that, Hongbin’s expression softened a little. ‘We’re supposed to be saving for our trip,’ he said, but his tone betrayed he was weakening. 

Sanghyuk waved that objection off, too. ‘Don’t worry, I didn’t raid the bank account. Look, can you just open it?’ Hongbin set it down on the table and plucked carefully at the tape holding the wrapping paper together. Like he always did, and, like always, it was irritating as fuck. ‘Oh my god, just rip it, will you? It’s not like you’ll ever use it again.’ As Hongbin opened his mouth to assert that _oh yes he does reuse wrapping paper, thank you very much_ , Sanghyuk took matters into his own hands, caught at the paper with his fingernails, and tore it away in long strips. Hongbin’s cry of protest came a split-second too late. 

In the shredded remains of the wrapping paper sat a plain cardboard box, no markings or labels to show what might be inside. Hongbin felt a small stir of anticipation. He’d been serious when he had suggested that they forego giving each other presents this year in favour of putting the money towards the trip they’d been planning for so long. Planning ever since they’d both realised that what they had was way more than a fling and Sanghyuk embarrassed the hell out of him by going down on one knee in front of all their friends to offer him a plastic ring emblazoned with the Naruto logo. He’d been trying to be adult about it, but he couldn’t deny the child-like thrill that came with knowing that was in the box was something picked just for him. He carefully peeled away the tape, and opened the flaps - and frowned. ‘VR goggles? Hyukkie, the set I’ve got are just fine.’

‘No, no, no, no.’ Unable to hold himself back, Sanghyuk dug his hands into the box and pulled out the goggles, along with a pair of black gloves. ‘This is way, way cooler than VR, it’s …’ He paused for dramatic effect, then said in tones of hushed awe, ‘... AR.’

It was clear he was expecting some kind of enthusiastic reception, but Hongbin just sighed wearily and said, ‘I told you a million times that I’m not going to do that Pokemon shit anymore, so …’

‘It’s not like that,’ Sanghyuk hastened to assure him. ‘This is a whole new thing, it’s, like, cutting edge. It actually changes the world around you. I mean, think about it, you’re walking through the apartment and suddenly you have to go for your gun because a zombie or alien or _whatever_ just jumps out at you? Or you could go out running - shut up, you keep saying you’re gonna do it and maybe this will be an incentive - and it’s not just some boring park, it’s a fantasy setting. Or, knowing you, some kind of blasted hellscape.’ Hongbin still didn’t look convinced. ‘Come on,’ Sanghyuk pleaded, ‘just give it a try. You can even use it to go shopping for clothes, and try them on without ever having to take your own off. Not that I mind at all when you do,’ he added with a ridiculously exaggerated leer.

‘Shut up,’ grumbled Hongbin, blushing. Even after all this time, everything they’d done together, he still didn’t know how to take compliments, and Sanghyuk thought it was as cute as hell. ‘Fine,’ he said, as though it was a terrible burden, but one he was willing to take on for Sanghyuk’s sake. ‘How do I set it up?’

The process was remarkably painless, which Hongbin appreciated. Putting in his vital statistics was a bit weird, and standing with his arms out while Sanghyuk circled him and filmed him from every angle for the database was even weirder, but at least it was over quickly. As he finished the last few requirements - configuring for his left-handedness, compensating for his shitty eyesight - Hongbin found himself catching some of his partner’s enthusiasm. Not even Sanghyuk’s confession that the device didn’t have any really good games yet (followed by a fervent promise that he’d help search them out as soon as they connected to the net) dimmed that. A final reset, and when he could see again Hongbin saw their apartment, and a tablet in his hands that hadn’t been there before. He brought it up in front of his face to read the display.

**WELCOME HONGBIN**

Below that was a menu listing all the default apps. There was one for redecorating the apartment, one for trying on clothes, an exercise program, virtual wine-tasting (Hongbin snorted derisively at that) and … ‘Hey, Hyukkie … this thing does fake tattoos.’ Curious, he selected that option, and was presented with a dizzying array of choices. ‘What should I get?’

‘Something really cheesy,’ said Sanghyuk immediately. ‘Something even Wonshik wouldn’t be seen dead with.’

‘Ooh, tall order.’ Their friend’s preference for what Hongbin considered really embarrassing skin ink was a constant source of amusement. ‘Okay, let’s see … oh, this one is awful, let’s try this.’ He set the tablet down and, following the instructions that appeared in front of him, pushed up his sleeve. ‘Oh, my god, that’s _terrible_.’ There on his arm, looking for all the world like a real tattoo, was a flaming skull, with the words ‘Live Fast Die Young’ written in florid cursive script on a banner that curled below it.

Sanghyuk practically bounced with frustration. ‘I want to see. Take a screenshot.’ It took a few minutes to work it out, but then Sanghyuk’s phone chimed. He swiped, boggled at the picture, and collapsed into a chair howling with laughter. Encouraged, Hongbin tried another, with similar hilarious results. Eventually persuaded to take off his shirt, he ended up festooned with tattoos that ranged from the cliched heart with ‘Mom’ written on it, to a cute little Pikachu that farted lightning perched just above his hip. That one had Sanghyuk declaring he was going to knock Hongbin out and drag him to a shop to get it done for real. 

‘Okay, I’m cutting you off,’ declared Hongbin. ‘You’re starting to get too many ideas, and that’s never a good thing. Now go find something to do that won’t destroy the world while I check the rest of this out.’ Sanghyuk muttered darkly about ungrateful lovers who wouldn’t let him have any fun, but took the hint.

After a couple more hours, Hongbin was fairly sure he’d exhausted the possibilities of the device, at least for now. Turning the apartment into a Marie Kondo-minimalist wasteland was mildly amusing, mapping a stunned-looking chocobo onto an oblivious Sanghyuk dozing on the couch considerably funnier. Again and again, though, Hongbin found himself returning to the tattoo app, trying out less embarrassing designs and marvelling at how _real_ they seemed through the goggles. He ran one gloved hand over a wreath of flowers circling his bicep, and shook his head as the haptic feedback gave him the impression of slightly raised lines. By that stage, though, his head was starting to ache a little, his neck stiff from compensating for the weight of the goggles. About to shut down the system, he caught sight of a menu option he’d missed earlier.

**UPGRADE**

‘What the hell,’ said Hongbin to himself, ‘maybe it’ll put some decent games on here.’ He selected the option - and did a double take as his vision flashed red, fading to a warning hanging right in front of his eyes.

**THIS UPGRADE IS IRREVERSIBLE**

**ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO PROCEED?**

**Y/N**

‘Well, that’s dramatic.’ At Sanghyuk’s sleepy, interrogative noise, Hongbin just waved his right hand dismissively. ‘Nothing.’ With his left, he tapped **Y** , and settled in to wait for the upgrade to install itself. Instead, the display changed immediately. In front of him stood a pretty young woman, obviously dressed to appeal to young male users. Behind the goggles, Hongbin rolled his eyes.

‘Hello, Hongbin,’ said the woman in a voice so human Hongbin knew it had to have been recorded by a professional voice actor. ‘On behalf of Humanadyne Industries, I would like to thank you for agreeing to become part of our Augmented Life Initiative.’ Hongbin could practically hear the capital letters. This was not what he had expected. It was pretty interesting, though, so he let it run.

‘We hope you will have an enjoyable experience with us,’ said the woman. I will be your assistant through your transition time, and you can summon me at any time via your new system interface.’ 

Transition time? 

She pointed at a part of the wall near the kitchen bench, where a sensor pad with a hand shape outlined on it glowed green. ‘Or if you prefer, you may select your own assistant.’ Her figure wavered, and flickered through a quick succession of images of men and women of all ages. Hurriedly, Hongbin selected a young man dressed in blue jeans and a generic white tshirt, more for his cocky smile than anything else. His manner was decidedly more casual than the default assistant. ‘Hi, Hongbin,’ he … _it_ … said. ‘Thanks for choosing me.’ 

‘Uh … you’re welcome?’

‘Okay, so a few things before we get started.’ The man walked across the room to lean against the desk. ‘The ALI install can take a while, so be patient. You could get some weird feedback during orientation, it’s nothing to worry about. Once the upgrade takes effect, that all disappears. You’ll adjust to your new abilities and be able to participate fully in the new world.’ He made a face. ‘Ugh, advertising copy. Sorry, it’s part of the spiel. But look, what it comes down to is you’ll have access to some really cool shit, and you’ll have a blast. Seriously, with the full package, there are no limits.’

It was beginning to sound like this ALI wasn’t a system thing at all. _Maybe it’s actually a game_ , Hongbin thought, beginning to get interested. The talk about the ‘full package’, though … ‘So how much is this going to cost me?’ he said suspiciously. ‘Give me the total amount.’

‘Ah, no, you’ve got the wrong idea!’ exclaimed the assistant. ‘You’ve already bought the full package, you just can’t access everything at once. You have to .. level up.’ He said this last with a grin as if he knew how ridiculous that sounded, but the hackneyed phrase did more to reassure Hongbin than any recitation of terms and conditions. It _was_ a game.

‘All right, sounds fun,’ Hongbin said. ‘Let’s get started.’ Prompted by the assistant, he went to the sensor pad and splayed his gloved hand across the panel. Tingling started in his fingers, spreading up across his palm. ‘Oh, this is cool,’ he murmured. The feeling crept up his arm a little. Some nerve response thing, obviously, but as it intensified, shading towards pain, he shot an alarmed glance at the man, who’d come to stand beside him. ‘Is this normal?’

‘Yeah, it’s fine,’ said the assistant. ‘It takes a bit of getting used to, I know. I thought my arm was going to fall off the first time I did it,’ he added conversationally. 

Hongbin did a double-take. ‘When _you_ did it?’

The man nodded. ‘Oh yeah, all the assistants have the upgrade. That’s how we can guide you through the transition. See, it’s stopping already.’ As they spoke, the tingling had died down, leaving only a residual numbness in the tips of Hongbin’s fingers. ‘Go ahead, take your glove off. Take a look.’ Shrugging, Hongbin carefully pulled the glove from his left hand.

Lying across his skin - no, _inside_ it - was an intricate tracing of glowing blue filaments, like optical fibre cables. They covered his fingers and hand, roughly corresponding to the skeleton underneath, and crept into his wrist. As he watched, he saw one filament begin to extend up his arm. They looked _real_. So perfect was the illusion that Hongbin could almost swear he felt them under the skin when he flexed his fingers, felt a slight, uncomfortable pressure as line of neon moved up his arm. Of course it was his mind playing tricks on him, but if the rest of the game was even half as good, Hongbin knew he was going to enjoy every minute of it.

‘Like it?’ said the assistant. When Hongbin grinned and nodded eagerly, he went on, ‘And that’s just the beginning. As I said - you’re gonna have a blast.’

‘Are you done with that thing for now?’ came Sanghyuk’s voice. Startled, Hongbin whirled around to see his partner walk to the table, two full plates in hand. ‘Because I actually goddamn cooked for once, and you are _not_ letting my wonderful efforts go to waste.’

‘Uh … yeah, sorry, just …’ To the assistant, Hongbin said, ‘Do I need to do anything? Save and exit, or something?’

‘Nope, there’s no need. The transition will continue while you’re offline, don’t worry.’ Which was a weird thing to say, but Hongbin took it at face value, slid the goggles off his face and set it and the gloves down on the desk for later. 

‘You know,’ mumbled Sanghuk, his mouth full of noodles, ‘it is completely fucking creepy hearing you talk to yourself like that.’

Hongbin snorted. ‘You think that’s creepy, wait until you play the upgraded game. I’m still doing the training - at least I think that’s what it is - but eventually it’s gonna turn me into some kind of super cyborg thing.’

‘Not seeing the appeal, here,’ said Sanghyuk.

‘Oh come on, it’s pretty fun - and the graphics are fantastic. Really authentic. Feedback’s a bit strong, though.’ Hongbin absently rubbed his left arm as he spoke. ‘And I guess once I’m done, I’ll get recruited into some kind of space marine or augmented army thing, and join the online game. Like you said, kill aliens or zombies, only I won’t just have a virtual gun, I’ll have virtual super-powers.’

‘Okay, so that sounds amazing. When can I have a go?’

Hongbin pointed his fork at Sanghyuk. ‘Not until I’m done. It’s _my_ birthday present, remember?’

‘Fine,’ Sanghyuk sighed. ‘I’ll just be here _all alone_ and bored out of my mind, then.’

It was tempting to dive straight back into the game after dinner, but Sanghyuk put his foot down and insisted they spend ‘quality time’ together. Sanghyuk’s idea of quality time tended to involve long anime binges, which for the most part left Hongbin less than enthralled, but he reasoned that he owed it to his partner that evening. After all, he was sure he’d be playing the game a lot in the coming days; the sooner he got through the ‘transition’, the sooner he could get to the real action. Besides, he knew how to distract Sanghyuk, and when they ended up in the bedroom less than an hour later, he allowed himself a small grin of triumph as he bent to kiss Sanghyuk right on the spot where a stupid Pikachu tattoo would rest.

As they lay in the dark afterwards, Sanghyuk cuddling him from behind, Hongbin drifted, pleasantly warm and relaxed. The numbness in his hand and arm hadn’t completely gone away, but it had subsided enough to be bearable. It was clearly a glitch; he resolved in the morning to ask the assistant how to contact the company to register the complaint. Hopefully there’d be a patch, or something. Either way, he wasn’t going to stop playing now. 

He listened to Sanghyuk’s breathing deepen, felt his lover’s arm grow heavy as he slid towards sleep. ‘Pretty good birthday,’ he whispered, and smiled as Sanghyuk’s lips grazed his shoulder. ‘Go to sleep, monster.’

As his eyelids drooped and fluttered closed, Hongbin thought he saw a flare of neon blue. _After-image_ , he thought drowsily, and then he was asleep.

A faint glow sent strange shadows across Hongbin’s face, and as he dreamed of fighting aliens (or zombies, or whatever), the filaments worked their way further up his arm, burrowing under his skin, spreading out into his body. Complex instructions flashing through them, carrying out tiny, crucial alterations that would collide and combine and set in motion an unstoppable cascade. And then Hongbin would see reality, and learn his purpose, and take his place in the new world

Augment in progress.


End file.
